Crisis on Counter-Earth!

The Hulk has been launched into space by the Inhumans following his rampage through their home. Confused and angry at being in captivity, and unaware that he is in reality aboard a spaceship, the Hulk furiously tries to smash himself free. The destruction he causes makes the ship pilot directly into the sun.

While on Earth, Betty Talbot has dinner with her father where she opens up to him and expresses her feelings over the seeming death of her husband Glenn, and her first love Bruce Banner. However, like Banner, Glenn is not dead, and has just escaped a Russian military prison in Siberia where he has been captive for many months. Upon his escape, the Russian commanders in control of the base are more than happy that Talbot has escaped.

Meanwhile, back in space, the ship carrying the Hulk steers away from the sun and heads toward its originally intended destination: Counter-Earth. There it crashes into the ocean, drawing the attention of the US military who send a team out to recover it. Opening up the space capsule, they find Bruce Banner unconscious inside. When Banner comes around in a military hospital, he is accused of being a spy (since Counter-Earth has it's own version of Bruce Banner) and the soldier demands to know if he has any ties to Adam Warlock. This hard questioning and the realization that he is back on Counter-Earth causes Bruce to transform into the Hulk once again and smash out.

Reports reach Washington D.C., where protesters are outside of the White House demanding that their government free Adam Warlock from captivity. There the Man-Beast, who has been posing as the President of the United States his minions Barachuudar, Snakar, Weezhil, and Cobrah to capture the Hulk and bring him back to the Man-Beast. As they fly off in a ship to capture the green brute, the Man-Beast contacts his minion Lizhardus. Lizhardus informs him that all attempts to bend Adam Warlock's will to their side have ended in failure.

The Hulk has arrived in Washington D.C. and seeking solitude smashes his way into the Washington Monument where he tries to get some peace and quiet but has to smash through some soldiers in order to get to it. His solitude is broken when the Man-Beast's minions attack, blasting the top of the Monument revealing the Hulk. As the four New Men battle the Hulk, the brute has them on the defensive until they manage to slip a mask on his face, enveloping him in enough gas to make him pass out and revert back into Bruce Banner.

While elsewhere, Lizhardus is deep in thought about how to make Adam Warlock his master's slave, when he is attacked and knocked out from behind by the Recorder, who has come to free Warlock so that he can save Counter-Earth from the Man-Beast.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, General Ross, Betty Ross, “Major Talbot”, Man-Beast, Barachuudar, Snakar, Weezhil, Cobrah, Lizhardus, Adam Warlock, Recorder

Continuity Notes

• Betty and her father believe the Hulk was killed in Incredible Hulk #174.

• They also believe that Glenn Talbot was killed in action in Incredible Hulk #166, in reality, he became a prisoner of the Russians. The man who appears to be Glenn Talbot in this story is actually a Russian spy named Gregori Kronski as revealed in Incredible Hulk #188.

• Mention is made of Adam Warlock's appearance on Counter-Earth, which happened back in Marvel Premiere #1. The soldier mentioning this says that Warlock appeared "three years ago" this assessment of time should be considered a topical reference relative to the dates of publication between Marvel Premiere #1 and Incredible Hulk #176. Per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616, the actual time that has passed is actually roughly one year.

• Banner recalls his previous time on Counter-Earth from Incredible Hulk #158.

• The Man-Beast took possession of President Rex Carpenter in Warlock #2. He captured Warlock following the events of Warlock #8